The English Messi!

Who needs the Argie genius when you have the English equivalent in Michael Brown!

Talking on The Pompey Site after the Villa game Avram Grant likened Brown’s goal to one that would have been scored by the Barcelona superstar: ‘Michael Brown’s goal was like Messi!’

It was a cracking goal to cap off a fantastic move, then kind of move that would have ‘expert pundits’ drooling over it had it been a ‘top club’…

Grant went on to add further praise to the midfielder: ‘He’s a very good professional who always gives 100 per cent. He played 120 minutes at Wembley, 90 minutes at Wigan and now 90 minutes here – all in a week. So I’m happy for him that he scored.’

I think Brown has had a fantastic season, and although he will not get this – most likely – I think I would be seriously tempted to put my vote for player of the season his way to be honest.

I can remember the day we re-signed him – I was on a train to Pompey ahead of a game we were playing one weekend and I was far from impressed when talking to my cousin, to be fair neither of us were. We were not overly impressed when we first had him some 12-years ago or so but were both especially unhappy that he was another ‘defensive midfielder’ signing, and a dirty git at that!

Although I can honestly say that it did not take me long to change my mind about the guy.

Apart from one ‘rough patch’ around Christmas time when he really went off the boil I think that he has had a top season, he has offered a good defensive shield to the back 4, is not afraid to put his boot in and will most certainly take a knock, and a booking, for the team. Also, to be fair, he can get forward well and offer support to the attackers, as he has shown more and more in recent weeks and this goal HAS been coming.

December 2004 was the last time he scored, and more than 12-years after making his Pompey debut as a loanee, of course with a return to Citeh, and spells at the likes of Sheffield United, Spurs and Wigan in-between, this first Pompey goal has finally come. If I recall rightly his debut the first time round, I think a 0-0 draw against Sheffield United at Fratton, saw him hit the bar?

Like I say I think he has had a cracking season and I really hope that he is one that stays on as I think we need this midfield built around this experience campaigner – to be honest it is often the thought in my mind that the other midfielders that we put out ‘should’ go onto this team sheet after him…